Authored by Ryan Cashman via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

It had already been a long journey by the time Dennis and Amy Westerlind reached the Port of Bellingham, Washington, on a cold November night in 2020. They had spent several days driving 3,200 miles from their homestead in Maine. Now, with their young daughter Lena snuggled safely in the back seat, they loaded their car onto a ferry and prepared for departure. 

A thick darkness enveloped the ferry as they sailed into the waters of the northern Pacific. Whipping winds and strong tides had churned the sea into an aggressive obstacle. A former lobsterman, Dennis was used to choppy waters. This was different. 

“There were 36-foot seas on that crossing. It was a rough ride. And we were on that boat for about five days,” he said. 

Despite the harsh seas they now faced, the family continued to find strength in the shared dream that had motivated them for years. Back east, they had saved every penny to buy some overgrown acres in western Maine. Through grit and determination, they’d transformed that property into a thriving, off-grid homestead. Leaving it behind wasn’t easy. 

But their hearts longed to be elsewhere—somewhere they could truly test what they were made of. 

Days later, the ferry docked, and the Westerlind family drove onto the soil of a place they had never visited but always dreamed to be: Alaska. 

A New England Primer

The dream of living off-grid in the Alaskan wilderness had taken hold during the couple’s early years of marriage. At that point, they lived in a small apartment in eastern Massachusetts. Dennis worked as a lobsterman for his father-in-law’s fishing company. Amy was the company secretary. 

This suburban lifestyle was familiar territory. Both had grown up in densely populated New England towns, and neither had a background in farming, gardening, off-grid living, animal husbandry, hunting, foraging, or homestead construction. 

Yet those hurdles only strengthened their determination. They found small ways to bring more self-sufficiency into their daily lives. Amy started a garden out on their small patio, where she grew tomatoes and other vegetables in pots. As often as they could, the couple traveled to Maine and explored the wilderness. It was during those trips that they began to take their off-grid dreams seriously. 

“We were just getting sick of living down near the city [Boston]. So, we started spending all our free time looking for cheap, owner-financed land we could afford. We saved money everywhere we could. I stopped getting haircuts. We didn’t go out to eat. We just paid the rent and did a lot of home cooking,” Dennis said. 

Eventually, the couple amassed $5,000 in savings, which they used as a down payment on a promising property in western Maine. 

“There was an old-timer who was looking to sell. We told him what we wanted to do, and he treated us really well. We just gave him the down payment, shook hands, and that was that,” said Dennis. 

“We couldn’t wait to get up there,” Amy added. 

Against the advice of their families, the Westerlinds moved to their new 30-acre, off-grid homestead in March 2011. There was no infrastructure, so they spent the spring and summer living in a tent, cooking over campfires, bathing with water from the freshwater spring, and building a small cabin. 

Over the next eight years, the couple completely transformed the overgrown mountainside. They dug a well, expanded the cabin, cleared acres of trees, established pasture, raised farm animals, cooked from scratch, grew herbs and vegetables, preserved their harvest, and, in 2019, welcomed their daughter, Lena, to the family. 

“She was born at home in the cabin,” said Amy. 

“That whole homestead was a labor of love. Everything we did was by hand and out-of-pocket,” Dennis said. 

However, the family soon found that they wanted a little more space. They sold their property and paid cash for a farmhouse on 50 acres outside of Farmington, Maine. As they had before, they self-financed their home repairs, purchased a milk cow, and started a CSA market garden for income. But something else was still calling them. 

“We always wanted to come to Alaska. Since we were young, healthy, and able-bodied, we decided to just do it,” Dennis explained. They sold their farmhouse, bid Maine farewell, and headed west to meet the Washington ferry that would bring them to Alaska. 

A Different World

Arriving in Alaska at the start of winter was a system shock for the Westerlinds. 

As Dennis described, “It was one of the hardest things to adapt to. The sun doesn’t really come up until 10:30 a.m., and then, by about 3 p.m., it’s night again.”

“But, it was almost smarter to get here in the wintertime. We got the full blast right off the bat,” Amy added. 

They purchased a 2-acre homestead on the outskirts of Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. There, they spent the next few years learning the ropes of living in coastal Alaska. They fished for salmon and hunted for moose and elk on the banks of the Kenai River. However, they soon realized that the area was a watered-down version of what they truly wanted.

“It was a bit too crowded. Too much like Maine. We were looking for a more authentic, wild Alaskan experience,” Dennis said. 

In spring of 2024, the family moved again, this time deep into the eastern Alaskan interior. They paid cash for a small, off-grid log cabin on 7 acres near the northern entrance of Wrangell–St. Elias National Park. 

Owing to a lack of state resources and their remote location, the Westerlinds found themselves living in a subsistence zone, a legally drawn area where residents are allowed to subsist on what they can harvest from the land. 

Dennis elaborated: “To give an example, when we lived on the Kenai, for our family size, we were allowed to dipnet and keep 45 sockeye salmon for the year. Up here we’re allowed 500.”

Hunting restrictions are looser as well. The Westerlinds’ season starts much earlier in the spring than other areas of Alaska, and they are also allowed to bag higher quantities of moose, elk, deer, porcupine, and bear. 

“That was a big factor for us to move to such a remote place, because our goal, our dream, is to live off the land. We can do that here. It’s a totally different world,” Dennis said. 

Off-Grid YouTubing

The move inland prompted another change in the Westerlinds’ life: the creation of a YouTube channel in September 2024. They had always utilized their land or learned skills to provide an income for themselves. Back in Maine, Amy had become an herbalist while Dennis farmed and did odd jobs. On the Kenai, they had herd-shared goats and worked in the area real estate market. Now, however, they were homesteading full-time. They decided to start vlogging. 

“We bought a GoPro and just started taking videos of ourselves messing around on the homestead, and people took to it,” Dennis said. 

They named their YouTube channel Holdfast Alaska. Unlike many other homesteading content creators, the Westerlinds chose not to focus on gardening and livestock rearing. Instead, they wanted to show what it takes to live a subsistence lifestyle on a remote homestead: 17-hour supply runs to Anchorage; building an A-frame chicken coop with a living roof for insulation during the harsh winters; hunting moose and porcupine for dinner. 

However, more than just showing their lives in inland Alaska, the Westerlinds wanted to use their platform to add value to people’s lives. 

“I wanted to make the channel somewhere we could teach and help people learn to can, forage, or use herbal medicine,” Amy said. “We wanted to give value to people who want to live a similar life, or even people who don’t live this way. Providing inspiration is huge, because that’s what got us started.” 

A good portion of their video library consists of Amy utilizing the food they’ve grown, foraged, or hunted to make moose chili, salmon dip, sourdough donuts, lacto-fermented pickles, and so much more. 

In under a year, their channel gathered 52,000 subscribers, which neither expected. 

“We definitely got more support from the general public than I thought we would when we made this channel,” said Dennis. 

While they don’t show Lena’s face on their channel for safety reasons, her small, excited voice can be heard echoing in the background of their videos. 

“We really enjoy raising her in a wild place like this,” Amy said. 

Dennis added, “It makes her capable, you know? She’s tough. She handles the cold better than we do.” 

A Dream Come True

The Westerlinds have no illusions; they know their lifestyle isn’t for everyone. In fact, despite dreaming of homesteading in Alaska for ages, they can hardly believe they’ve actually achieved it. 

“When we lived in Massachusetts, if you had told us that we were going to end up living here, we’d have said, ‘No way!’” Dennis said. “But, you know, you get to Alaska and you start to understand how to exist among all this wilderness.” 

The family has its fair share of struggles. There is the underlying danger of charging moose, hungry bears getting into the chicken coop, or summer forest fires destroying acreage. There’s also the constant learning and adaptation that comes with remote living. However, the Westerlinds are ready to meet their challenges head on. 

“We’re very hardworking. We have a lot of grit. And with the homestead, Dennis and I feel very rewarded that the hard work we put in directly relates to how we live day-to-day,” Amy said. 

“If we had listened to everybody who told us right from the start not to move to Maine, don’t buy land, don’t move to Alaska, we wouldn’t have done anything,” Dennis said. “We didn’t listen to them. We just worked hard. If you have something you want to do, you have to do more than others are doing in order to achieve it.” 

For this family, a dream is worth nothing unless you have the determination to achieve it. 

This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.

By John Gallagher of FreightWaves,

Trucking and logistics companies should be taking immediate steps to mitigate increased exposure to drivers with non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses – including an audit of all existing employee or contract drivers, a regulations expert advises.

That advice, included in a legal alert by Greg Reed, a partner at Hanson Bridgett LLP, comes in the wake of an emergency rule issued in September by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration overhauling who is eligible for a non-domiciled CDL.

“Both the regulatory language in FMCSA’s interim final rule, as well as Secretary Duffy’s remarks at the press conference announcing it, cast doubt on the legitimacy of all non-domiciled CDLs,” Reed told FreightWaves in an interview.

“If that holds true, the liability and risk has already increased dramatically for any carrier using these drivers or a brokerage that works with those carriers.”

In the alert, Reed points out that if an accident were to occur, plaintiffs’ attorneys would likely argue that logistics and trucking companies are on notice that non-domiciled CDLs may be operating unlawfully and are insufficiently qualified.

“And non-domiciled CDL holders may find their licenses revoked in real time as the DOT and SDLAs conduct audits of current non-domiciled CDLs, which could result in a driver behind the wheel who lacks a commercial license.”

Steps that both trucking and logistics companies should be taking now, according to Reed, include:

• Audit all existing employee or contract drivers to determine whether any are holding non-domiciled CDLs. Logistics and brokerage companies should engage with frequently used carriers to determine the scope of their exposure to non-domiciled CDLs.
• Work with legal counsel to determine how to assess whether identified employee or contract drivers have the sufficient records to demonstrate that their CDLs will not be revoked based on ongoing and forthcoming audits.
• Begin a process to limit utilization of these drivers until they have their non-domiciled CDLs confirmed or renewed.
• Incorporate new or reinforce existing contractual language making clear that drivers must be properly licensed, have a lawful employment status, and qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle.

Looming capacity shakeout

The heightened restrictions now governing eligibility for a non-domiciled CDL prompted FMCSA to estimate that 194,000 of approximately 200,000 drivers holding those licenses will exit the market over two years as their CDLs become ineligible, representing roughly 5% of 3.9 million commercial drivers.

“Even though the regulatory language suggests that there will be a 5% reduction in capacity over two years, which it asserts will allow markets and fleets time to adjust, I potentially foresee capacity tightening to a greater degree over a shorter amount of time,” Reed told FreightWaves.

“While carriers are not necessarily going to let their non-domiciled CDL drivers go today, there will be pressure to immediately start phasing them out of the workforce. A carrier or broker is not going to want to expose themselves to the increased liability that comes with not knowing if these non-domiciled CDLs were validly issued in the first place.”

Some on Wall Street see the capacity attrition – and subsequent effect on rates – resulting from the CDL rule as “likely far more impactful” than the agency’s recent crackdown on English language proficiency violations.

“Capacity action, while meaningful, is mainly a late ‘26/early ‘27 tailwind for the trucking group in our view,” wrote TD Cowen transportation analyst Jason Seidl in a research note following the emergency rule announcement.

“Enforcement is unlikely to be a material help for ‘26 bid season (upcoming imminently in late ‘25/early ‘26) but could begin to firm up spot rates in time for the following ‘27 bid cycle barring a deep economic slowdown. That said, upcoming capacity attrition should be on shippers’ minds this bid season, which could lead to attempts to pull forward some bids.”

After years of waging a subversive war against the western world, radical leftists think they can polish their image overnight and pretend as if they were always an amicable movement of civil rights advocates.  Much like the “fiery but mostly peaceful” BLM, Antifa is facing a political optics crisis and they are desperate for some spin.  With the help of the establishment media and Democrat politicians, they think they have found the solution.

Like any other well organized network, Antifa activists in the Portland epicenter have changed tactics almost overnight.  They are pulling back from their typical black-bloc outfits, physical assaults and intimidation and dawning inflatable cartoon animal costumes instead. 

It’s very funny that Trump sent troops into Portland because someone showed him footage from the 2020 protests and told him it was current day and now troops are faced with this pic.twitter.com/5Pae0DDXoZ

— evan loves worf (@esjesjesj) October 8, 2025

The narrative?  “See, we’re not violent at all.  In fact, we were never violent.  Trump is a crazy authoritarian trying to create fear over crimes that didn’t happen…”

Jimmy Kimmel lies to cover for Antifa:

“There is no Antifa. This is an entirely imaginary organization. There is not an Antifa.”

That’s about as Orwellian as it gets. Legacy media continues to function as Antifa’s propaganda apparatus. pic.twitter.com/zhyrFDCaEg

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) October 10, 2025

The PR stunt is rather obvious and clearly coordinated with progressive journalists and Democrats who are undertaking a propaganda crusade to deny Antifa exists.  While apparently operating on a classic decentralized terrorist cell structure, this does not mean that Antifa does not have top-down leadership or organizational meetings.  As Project Veritas recently exposed by going undercover, Antifa is very real and highly coordinated.

If they lie to you about something so obviously untrue, what else are they lying about?pic.twitter.com/7XTF00m6I9 https://t.co/1JDEkv2Uep

— Project Veritas (@Project_Veritas) October 9, 2025

Antifa and associated movements have engaged in violence for years, protected by NGO cash and Democrat leaders in blue cities.  This was Antifa in Portland in the past two weeks:

🚨 ANTIFA member in Portland tried to chase me out of their rally threating to “smoke me” and DHS Snipers on the roof hit him with a nice lil FAFO as snipers put lasers on his chest

What do these people have to fear if they are “peacefully protesting”? pic.twitter.com/QMGyMj3dpp

— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) September 29, 2025

New footage shows @nicksortor getting assaulted by ANTIFA moments before his arrest by Portland PD.

Note the lack of anything Nick did that should have warranted his arrest…pic.twitter.com/b8RFMj3g4C

— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) October 3, 2025

The attacks are constant.  Anyone who goes near Antifa operations and deemed “unfriendly” is threatened or beaten.  People who defend themselves are arrested by Portland Police while the activists go free.  For now the violence is mostly limited to assault, but tolerance for this behavior has encouraged Antifa agents to commit bombings and murders in the past.

The standard weapons of any Marxist revolution are lies, misdirection and denial. The goal is to commit acts of intimidation, mob destruction and terror to provoke a defensive response, then the provocateurs claim that the defensive response is “authoritarian oppression”. 

In other words, they gaslight their opponents into doing nothing because every act of self defense hurts their political position.  Thus, Antifa is free to wreak havoc with impunity while good people sit idle, fearful of being labeled “tyrants”.  The political left declares themselves the good guys (Anti-Fascist), making anyone who opposes their malicious activities the “bad guys” (fascist).  However, declaring yourself the good guy does not make it true. 

The problem is that every society has an invisible line, a point at which they are so fed up they stop caring about optics.  The political left has crossed that line and now many Americas do not care what the Trump Administration does to them.

Trump’s latest efforts to investigate and dismantle the radical left have struck fear into groups like Anitfa.  The sudden change in image is not a coincidence, just as it’s not a coincidence that Antifa leaders have been discovered escaping the US to countries like Sweden.

After the Trump administration designated Rose City Antifa as a terrorist group, I can now reveal that its founder has resurfaced in Varberg, Sweden.

Early this morning, I approached Johan Victorin for comment on the designation — and whether he fears prosecution. pic.twitter.com/RuBxT0MRwh

— Christian Peterson 🇸🇪 (English) (@christianpet_) October 6, 2025

The panic is palpable.  The abrupt change in direction for Portland Antifa will not last, of course, but it proves that these people are fully aware of how they should be acting.  They know what they’re doing is wrong, otherwise they would not be attempting to rewrite history.  Their most likely next step as pressure mounts will be to rebrand completely, forming new groups with new names but using the same networks, the same methods with the same goals.  

Mentally unhinged ideologues are incapable of long term peaceful behavior or protest.  Their declarations of peace are a facade.  Their happy cartoon costumes hide a vile calculating core.  Compromise is unthinkable for them.  Diplomacy is considered a weakness. Only when they are backed into a corner and facing legitimate consequences do they pretend to be reasonable.    

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Defense attorneys representing the man accused of assassinating conservative commentator Charlie Kirk last month filed a court motion on Thursday asking a judge to allow him to attend in-person court hearings wearing plain clothes and without shackles.

During his first court appearance, Robinson was seen wearing jail clothing and what appeared to be an anti-suicide smock. He made his first court appearance virtually.

In the motion submitted to Judge Tony Graf, his attorneys argued that the change in clothes is needed to ensure that potential jurors are not impacted by seeing Robinson in jail garb and with shackles. They cited interest in the case, including 18,000 search results for his first court appearance.

“With each development in the case generating thousands of articles and comments online, the likelihood of potential jurors seeing and drawing conclusions regarding Mr. Robinson’s guilt and or deserved punishment from obvious signs of pretrial incarceration will only increase,” said his attorneys, led by public defender Kathryn Nester.

They added that “given the pervasive media coverage in this case, the repeated and ubiquitous display of Mr. Robinson in jail garb, shackles, and a suicide vest will undoubtedly be viewed by prospective jurors and will inevitably lead to prospective juror perception that he is guilty and deserving of death.”

The defense’s motion cited the murder case against Bryan Kohberger in Idaho, noting that his attorneys successfully persuaded a judge to allow him to wear a suit and appear without cuffs in the courthouse. Kohberger pleaded guilty to four murders in July as part of a deal to avoid the death penalty and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

“In the modern age of ubiquitous internet access and unrelenting media attention to high-profile criminal cases,” Robinson’s attorneys also wrote, “the prejudicial effect of a criminal defendant appearing in shackles, jail attire, and bullet-proof or suicide vests at any hearing threatens fundamental fairness.”

They also said that Robinson does not have a criminal record and has been well-behaved in custody.

He was charged several days after Kirk’s assassination on Sept. 10 with the capital aggravated murder charge, which carries the possibility of the death penalty, as well as felony discharge of a firearm causing serious bodily harm, and obstruction of justice. A judge ordered that he be held without bail.

Authorities, including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, have said they believe that Robinson acted alone. Family members said Robinson “had become more political in recent years,” Cox said, describing a recent family dinner during which he expressed displeasure with Kirk’s views, while prosecutors have said his family stated that he expressed left-wing political views.

They also said he was in a romantic relationship with his roommate, a man who identified as a transgender woman. Bullets that were recovered in the case allegedly contained anti-fascist and video game-related messages, said prosecutors and Cox.

Prosecutors said Robinson took responsibility for Kirk’s assassination after his family members confronted him about it. He also allegedly left behind a message to the roommate suggesting that he took responsibility.

Kirk, a conservative influencer who was close to President Donald Trump, was shot and killed while hosting a debate at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. In response, Trump administration officials and the president have been criticizing calls for violence motivated by political disagreements and suggested that Kirk’s death was, in part, motivated by such rhetoric.

Robinson is next scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 30.

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Goldman analysts led by Noah Poponak released their 3Q25 Aerospace & Defense (A&D) earnings preview that points to continued strength in commercial aerospace (both OEM and aftermarket) and defense technology, while warning about government IT (due to DOGE-related efforts) and some defense hardware names.

Under the Goldman defense coverage universe, Poponak and his research desk favor TransDigm (TDG), Huntington Ingalls (HII), Woodward (WWD), and AeroVironment (AVAV) into earnings, while stressing “risk” ahead of earnings for Booz Allen (BAH), General Dynamics (GD), and Lockheed Martin (LMT).

Here’s the breakdown:

Aerospace OE:

Boeing 737 MAX production has been at 38/month since May, and product quality improvements are holding. We expect the company to request a rate increase to 42/month with the FAA in the near-term, and to increase production to that level by year-end. We recently toured the Renton 737 MAX facility (see our takeaways here); the production process appears stable and well-managed, and all 6 major KPIs are “green.” Boeing is strategically holding high levels of inventory in anticipation of production rate increases, but is also more engaged with the supply chain as it looks to avoid supplier bottlenecks down the road. 787 production is currently at 7/month, and the company thinks it can move to 10/month next year, with higher rates requiring investment in capacity. 777X EIS looks to be delayed until 2027 as the company works through extended and delayed certification processes with the FAA, which could result in additional reach-forward losses between now and then. Overall, demand remains far above supply, which ultimately creates favorable economics for BA.

Business jet:

Heading into 3Q25, the market structure remains generally favorable, driven by flight activity above pre-pandemic levels, disciplined new aircraft supply, and tight inventory. This continues to support strong pricing and margins for OEs. Aftermarket businesses should continue to grow, providing high-quality, high-margin revenue. While forward indicators remain strong and book-to-bills have been solid, improvement in these metrics as slowed in recent quarters, and valuation has become fuller in pockets of the market (see our BBD downgrade from Buy to Neutral note here). We will be looking for signs of demand improvement in the quarter, as OEMs have noted improved customer confidence in the macroeconomic picture.

Defense Tech:

We continue to see evidence of the DoD’s shift towards more nimble and commercial suppliers in defense, and the magnitude of growth potential for companies in the sub-sector is becoming clearer as they provide additional details on program wins (see our AVAV investor day takeaways here, and our KTOS management meeting takeaways note here). Focus is likely to remain on backlog trajectory in 3Q along with increasing attention on execution of key production ramps. We expect continued momentum driven by structural tailwinds in the sector, with program wins as additional catalysts. See our recent defense tech bus tour takeaways here.

Defense hardware:

We remain selective within defense hardware, favoring names that are exposed to high areas of growth within the DoD’s $1tn budget FY26 request. Reconciliation spend prioritizes domestic shipbuilding, munitions and rocket production, and domestic missile defense. We think the Pentagon will continue implementing tougher terms of trade with defense contractors as efficiency initiatives in the department continue, which creates margin and cash flow uncertainty over the medium term.

Government IT & Services:

We remain cautious on gov’t IT, driven by the US government’s efficiency initiatives and the impact of DOGE’s directives across federal civilian agencies and DoD contracts. There is still a degree of uncertainty regarding which programs and contracts may be subject to review or cancellation as the administration examines substantial volumes of government expenditure and contracted work scope. The federal government shutdown that commenced on October 1, 2025, due to a failure to pass funding bills, may disrupt new contract awards, modifications, and payment processing, creating cash flow and backlog challenges for contractors.

Options positioning heading into 3Q25 results

Ratings breakdown into earnings 

• Transdigm (TDG; Buy): We expect a sequential acceleration in both aerospace aftermarket and OE organic revenue growth, at a moment when the market sounds fairly negative on TDG because of the decels in those growth rates last quarter. Upside potential to margins remains in place. We expect TDG to be able to provide initial FY2026 EBITDA guidance above consensus, and EPS guidance near consensus, despite the additional interest expense that may not be fully in street numbers, in part from organic drivers and in part from the recently closed medium-sized Simmonds acquisition, which is a reminder that TDG has not run out of M&A options.

• Huntington Ingalls (HII; Buy, also on Conviction List): HII guidance calls for essentially flat sequential shipbuilding margins every quarter through full-year 2025, despite the sizable new funding the company received in the spring, which should be flowing to the labor base. The company is likely to be able to point to improved hiring and retention metrics, while that creates upside potential to back half margin expectations. Investors sound concerned that shipbuilding margin improvement will take a long time, which creates a relatively low bar for the near-to-medium term. The company also has cash tax tailwinds that created a higher floor for the free cash outlook, even if expected new awards move into 2026 from 2025.

• Woodward (WWD; Buy): The Woodward medium-to-long term thesis is intact and robust. Investors have expressed concern with where they place the initial FY2026 guide, which we think is creating a lower bar into the earnings report. WWD provided conservative initial FY2025 guidance, but then beat numbers and the stock has outperformed since. We think the market knows WWD will want to embed conservatism in its initial guide. We also can get to consensus FY2026 EPS with very reasonable model assumptions. We see upside to results in the quarter itself.

• AeroVironment (AVAV): AVAV beat revenue and adjusted EBITDA in 1Q and reiterated its guide. Since then the company has booked multiple large awards and we believe that will continue. We expect announcements on key programs, such as Golden Dome, before year end, driving significant estimate revisions. And the stock continues to trade at valuation multiples below defense tech peers.

• Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH; Sell): DOGE remains active, particularly at DoD, and Booz has the highest volume and dollar amount of DOGE cancellations across our coverage. The overall funding environment, as well as the government shut down, may contribute to continued bookings and organic growth pressure, and we continue to see risk to the full year outlook.

• General Dynamics (GD; Sell): We think GD is a favored long by investors within defense hardware, which could create a higher expectations bar heading into the earnings season. The key profit driver for GD is Gulfstream margins, and we expect them to come in below market expectations for the foreseeable future, as new aircraft ramp-up, and the bull case looks back to peak margins from prior cycles. Marine should continue improving and Combat has munitions demand, but the rest of Combat and the Government IT business have growth and margin questions. We see downside to out-year consensus estimates.

• Lockheed Martin (LMT; Sell): LMT re-rated 25% since its last quarterly earnings report which had fundamental challenges, which we think creates a higher bar. Those fundamental challenges are not resolved, and are more medium-to-long term in nature, even if they will not be highly apparent in just the 3Q25 earnings report. While we do not expect incremental write-downs, we do see the earnings season framing a picture of relatively slower top-line growth, flattish margins, and flat to down free cash flow. We see downside to out-year consensus estimates.

ZeroHedge Pro Subs can access the full note in the usual spot, complete with additional color and positioning on key defense names heading into third-quarter earnings.

Related:

• New Details Emerge About Golden Dome’s Four-Layer Missile Defense Shield

• Goldman Flags Must-Own Defense Stocks Amid Pentagon’s Shifting Priorities

• Golden Dome Unleashes U.S. Hemispheric Defense Theme – And Goldman Finds One Firm Stands Out

S&P Aerospace & Defense Select Industry Index…

Another bubble? 

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

Barack Obama shared a post expressing relief that the conflict between Israel and Hamas is coming to an end, but left out one vital detail.

See if you can spot what it is…

“After two years of unimaginable loss and suffering for Israeli families and the people of Gaza, we should all be encouraged and relieved that an end to the conflict is within sight; that those hostages still being held will be reunited with their families; and that vital aid can start reaching those inside Gaza whose lives have been shattered.”

More than that, though, it now falls on Israelis and Palestinians, with the support of the U.S. and the entire world community, to begin the hard task of rebuilding Gaza – and to commit to a process that, by recognizing the common humanity and basic rights of both peoples, can achieve a lasting peace.”

After two years of unimaginable loss and suffering for Israeli families and the people of Gaza, we should all be encouraged and relieved that an end to the conflict is within sight; that those hostages still being held will be reunited with their families; and that vital aid can…

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 9, 2025

Couldn’t find space for President Trump’s name?

This is crazy.

You didn’t even mention the leader of the free world who proposed this deal.

You’re just bitter.

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 9, 2025

Dear Mr. Hussain, any ideas what the name of the guy who brought about this deal?

— Gad Saad (@GadSaad) October 10, 2025

Donald Trump Jr. helped out.

I’ll finish it for you. “Thank you, Donald Trump” https://t.co/MDzhimsLWL

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 9, 2025

CNN commented on the development, and even they admitted it was shitty of Obama to not even hint at mentioning Trump.

🚨NEW: Even CNN’s Abby Phillip *CALLS OUT* Obama for not crediting TRUMP on Israel-Hamas peace deal🚨

“Honestly, it’s not unfair to say if President Obama is going to write a whole post about a peace deal, maybe he should acknowledge the president that brokered it.”… pic.twitter.com/L5tdfN6jv1

— Jason Cohen 🇺🇸 (@JasonJournoDC) October 11, 2025

Such behavior is entirely in character for Obama, however, whose public persona is riddled with self-centered undertones.

Throughout his career, he’s demonstrated a knack for centering narratives around his own legacy or broader ideals, sometimes at the expense of giving due credit elsewhere.

Obama just can’t bring himself to give credit to the guy who is dismantling his globalist agenda piece by piece. Thank you @abbydphillip for giving credit where credit is due.

— Kelly 🇺🇸 (@KJet010820) October 11, 2025

From his memoirs to his post-presidency endeavors, Obama has shown a narcissistic streak, prioritising eloquence and moral high ground over collaborative recognition.

In this instance, skipping over Trump’s involvement isn’t just petty; it’s predictable from a figure who’s built an image as the statesman par excellence, even if it means airbrushing out inconvenient contributors to the story.

Barack, you just TOTALLY outed yourself as a chump. A MAN would thank President Trump for making this happen. You wrote a zillion characters and not one mention of President Trump. What the HELL is wrong with you liberals? Damn! So EXHAUSTING! Keep showing us your ass. 👍🏾 -VJ

— RealVinnieJames (@RealVinnieJames) October 9, 2025

Maybe Obama is after a job with the Nobel Committee?

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Authored by Athan Koutsiouroumbas via RealClearPennsylvania,

Pennsylvania was supposed to be the energy state that got it right.

Thanks to the Marcellus Shale formation, natural gas made Pennsylvania a net exporter of electricity. Fracking enabled Pennsylvania to power homes and industry not just here, but across the entire Mid-Atlantic. The state’s natural gas built modern power plants, attracted investment, and helped America move toward energy independence.

So how is it that Pennsylvanians are still paying more for electricity every year?

Over the past five years, electricity prices in Pennsylvania have risen 45%. It is a tick lower than the national average of a 46% price increase. However, that is hardly comforting when neighbors across the border, in states that import electricity from Pennsylvania, have seen smaller increases.

Let that sink in.

Four of the six states surrounding Pennsylvania buy electricity from us. Yet, somehow, their electric prices have risen less than ours. For a state that exports power, it is puzzling and unacceptable.

It gets worse. 

The state of Virginia relies on importing electricity from Pennsylvania. It is also home to more data centers than any other state. Yet, Virginia only saw its electricity rates increase at half as much as Pennsylvania’s despite being home to the energy-hungry industry. 

Pennsylvania sits at the center of the massive regional grid that keeps the lights on in thirteen states and Washington, D.C. The Keystone State produces more power than it uses. Incredulously, Pennsylvanians are stuck watching their electric bills rise. It is like owning a bakery and still paying more for bread.

The irony is that Pennsylvania has every advantage: abundant natural gas, modern generating capacity, and a location that makes it a key hub in the national energy market. What is missing is the advantage that should matter most: affordability.

Prices are not rising because Pennsylvania has run out of energy. Quite the contrary. Pennsylvania has decades, potentially centuries, worth of natural gas. It does not cost more to generate electricity. When adjusted for inflation, the cost to make an electron has declined 11% while the cost to send electrons to customers has increased 14%. That’s a wallet-busting 25 point spread.  

Prices are rising because regulation, transmission costs, and capacity auctions for potentially inflated demand are stacking fees on top of fuel. Somewhere between the wellhead and the wall outlet, efficiency has turned into bureaucracy.

Voters are noticing: 86% of likely voters are concerned about their electric bill. For example, a nearly a majority of digital ads are focused on defining who is to blame for New Jersey’s escalating electric prices in a heated, competitive race for governor. Just as many likely run on television.

Pennsylvania’s leaders would be wise to pay attention. Gov. Josh Shapiro, the entire state House, and half of the state Senate are up for re-election in 2026. Energy is already shaping up to be the pocketbook issue that connects inflation, regulation, and frustration all at once.

No talking point can fix the reality that families know they live in a state that exports power yet still see prices rising faster than their paychecks.

Steps are being taken to address the key issues. 

A bill was introduced this week to stop the double, and even triple, counting of the same pending data center projects which may be artificially inflating electricity prices. 

Projects ready to deliver electricity into the grid have languished in the operator’s bureaucracy for reasons unknown. Policymakers have applied pressure to compel the grid operator to approve proposed projects more quickly without sacrificing safety. 

Both parties agree that siting reform is necessary to bring more electric generation projects online. Gov. Shapiro’s proposal to create a new authority usurping local decision-making has met considerable pushback. Meanwhile, state Senate Republicans have advocated for a proposal that addresses NIMBY issues while expediting large-scale electric generation projects. 

Electricity is not just an economic metric.  It’s indicative of competence. 

People expect government to deliver basic things: safe roads, good schools, and affordable power. When those expectations are not met, trust continues to erode.

If our neighbors can buy our electricity more cheaply than Pennsylvanians can, something is wrong in Harrisburg. The fix is not complicated. Pennsylvania does not need more bureaucracy, more fees, or more rhetoric about “transition.”

If we can power half the East Coast, surely we can power Pennsylvania affordably.

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Former President Joe Biden has begun receiving a combination of radiation and hormone treatments for the ‘aggressive‘ stage-4 prostate cancer that the best medical care on the planet apparently didn’t detect until six months after the 2024 election. 

The Biden family announced in May that the 82-year-old’s cancer had a Gleason score of 9 with metastasis to the bone – but said that his condition was hormone-sensitive and could be effectively managed. 

“As part of a treatment plan for prostate cancer, President Biden is currently undergoing radiation therapy and hormone treatment,” aide Kelly Scully said Saturday. 

In September, Biden’s office announced that he had also undergone surgery to cut away cancerous skin cells – while two years ago he had a basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer) removed from his chest while he was still in office. 

As the Epoch Times notes further, cancer has impacted other members of the Biden family over the years.

Former First Lady Jill Biden had a basal cell carcinoma surgically removed from above her right eye, and a second basal cell carcinoma removed from the left side of her chest in early 2023.

The president’s son, Beau Biden, died in 2015 from brain cancer. The elder Biden has routinely linked his son’s brain tumor to exposure to toxic burn pits during military deployments over the years.

“Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places. Thank you for lifting us up with love and support,” the former president wrote in a May 19 X post following the announcement of his prostate cancer diagnosis.

Biden launched a bid for reelection in 2024 on the Democratic Party ticket, but suspended his campaign on July 21, 2024, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him. President Donald Trump went on to beat Harris and retake the White House.

Jacob Burg and The Associated Press contributed to this report

Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The Trump administration’s border czar, Tom Homan, said that the Justice Department has launched an investigation into the sources of funding for what he called “organized” attacks on federal immigration enforcement agents, amid escalating clashes in major so-called sanctuary jurisdictions.

In an interview on The Alex Marlow Show, Homan said the recent violence directed at ICE personnel and facilities in Portland, Los Angeles, and the Chicago suburb of Broadview goes beyond spontaneous protest and reflects coordinated logistics, including standardized gear and weaponry among demonstrators.

“Death threats, attacks up over 1,000 percent,” Homan said, attributing the escalation to “hateful rhetoric” by some media figures and politicians who compare ICE to Nazis or the Gestapo.

“You’ve got 300 people show up with the same masks, same shields, the same weapons … Are they all going to the same mini mart and buying the same stuff? No, that’s being supplied to them. They’re being paid to do this,” Homan said.

Homan said DOJ officials “are all over this” and are working to identify those who may be financing organized riots targeting federal officers.

Asked whether prosecutors are weighing the use of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statutes, Homan declined to comment, citing internal deliberations.

“They will find out who is funding this, and they will be held accountable,” he said, adding that the riots are “absolutely organized.”

The unrest is a response to heightened immigration enforcement actions under President Donald Trump, who has promised to stem illegal immigration and authorized federal surges into jurisdictions with sanctuary policies.

The administration has emphasized arrests of the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.” Recent ICE operations in Portland, for example, netted individuals convicted of fentanyl distribution, sexual abuse, and luring a minor.

“We’re out there enforcing the laws,” Homan said on The Alex Marlow Show.

“There’s no free pass here. If you’re here illegally, if you cross the border illegally, it’s a crime and we’re looking for you.”

Homan added that national enforcement initiatives are meant to send a “strong message,” deter unlawful crossings, and reinforce that every illegal immigrant remains subject to removal.

State and local leaders, however, have accused the administration of staging confrontations for political effect.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, whose state is seeking to block the federalization of National Guard units ordered to assist ICE, said the deployment of heavily equipped agents into urban areas is meant “to provoke something” rather than protect public safety.

“They’re wearing fatigues, they’re carrying long guns … downtown Chicago, Michigan Avenue. What is the purpose of that? It’s all a show,” Pritzker said at an Oct. 9 press conference.

Pritzker said most protests in Illinois have been peaceful and accused federal agents of targeting minorities in immigrant neighborhoods.

“To just grab random people because of the way they look and demand that they prove their citizenship is just wrong. So we’re gonna push back at every turn,” he said.

Legal challenges are mounting across several states. In Oregon, Gov. Tina Kotek moved to recall National Guard personnel after a federal judge ruled that Trump’s activation order violated the 10th Amendment. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson echoed concerns over “troubling and likely unconstitutional” tactics by federal personnel stationed outside ICE facilities.

In response to local leaders’ opposition, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials noted that their operations have resulted in a drop in apprehensions at the southwest border to the lowest level since 1970.

“We have had the most secure border in American history,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said, crediting enhanced enforcement powers and interagency coordination.

“Under President Trump, we have empowered and supported our law enforcement to do their job, and they have delivered.”

President Trump has announced that he will ensure troops get paid on October 15th despite the continued government shutdown at the hands of Democrats.

In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote “Chuck Schumer recently said, “Every day gets better” during their Radical Left Shutdown. I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of “Leader” Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th.”

He continued, “That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th. We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS.”

“I will not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation, HOSTAGE, with their dangerous Government Shutdown,” the President urged.

He added that “The Radical Left Democrats should OPEN THE GOVERNMENT, and then we can work together to address Healthcare, and many other things that they want to destroy. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

As Tom Ozimek reports for The Epoch Times, Trump did not specify the source of those funds. However, a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) opinion suggests the White House may tap mandatory spending streams or accounts expanded under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that Trump signed earlier this year. In a letter to Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), the CBO said the Department of War and several other agencies received mandatory funding that “could be used to pay active-duty personnel during a shutdown.”

The announcement was made as more than 250,000 federal employees have already missed paychecks, with nearly 2 million more expected to go without pay next week—the shutdown’s third. Unlike civilian employees, U.S. troops are not automatically guaranteed backpay under current law, making the Oct. 15 military payday one of the most politically sensitive flashpoints of the budget standoff.

Trump’s move could relieve immediate pressure on Republican leaders to compromise over Democratic demands on health care, including the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at year’s end.

The underlying fight that triggered the shutdown centers on whether to preserve or undo provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Working Families Tax Cut Act.

Republicans say those measures are essential to preventing federal health benefits from flowing to illegal immigrants, while Democrats say that rolling them back would raise premiums and strip access to care for millions of low-income Americans.

Modernity.news’ Steve Watson said it’s a genius move, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because anything Trump does Democrats become obsessed with opposing.

Checkmate. The Democrats will now have to come out AGAINST paying our hardworking military members!

— Damian Ranger (@DamianRanger1) October 11, 2025

President Trump continues to help Americans while democrats focus on illegals. pic.twitter.com/o9Jikpp6y1

— Austin Capps (@AustinCappsMO) October 11, 2025

Turns out you can just pay the troops 😏

Thank you @POTUS

— Tony D (@SupraTico95) October 11, 2025

The shutdown is hitting hard, with troops and civilian defense workers suffering financially. The Navy Federal Credit Union has stepped up, providing over $50 million in bridge loans and paycheck protection to 19,000 people. 

The National Military Family Association’s has also fired off around 35,000 letters to Congress, pushing for the Pay Our Troops Act from Republican Rep. Jennifer Kiggans to get things moving.

Senate Democrats have nonetheless repeatedly voted to block a short-term funding bill that would reopen the government. 

Trump’s latest move is an attempt to cut through the gridlock, making sure the military doesn’t get stiffed on their paychecks because of Congress’s bickering.